Personal ring tone message indicator

ABSTRACT

A system and method of message indicating that enable the sender of a message to chose the ringing tone of the receiver&#39;s cellular telephone upon arrival of the sender&#39;s message. The sender has the ability to either choose or create the ringing tone to be played on the receiver&#39;s cellular telephone. The sender also has the ability to create either SMS or multimedia messages to be sent with the ringing tone. The ringing tones may also be chosen or downloaded from Internet sites.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a multimedia messagingservice (“MMS”) application and more specifically to using a multimediamessaging service based application to personalize the ring tone of areceiver's telephone to indicate the presence of a message.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Multimedia messaging service provides the ability to send andreceive messages comprising a combination of text, sounds, images andvideo to Multimedia Service capable handsets and computers. MMS is acomponent that can be connected to all possible networks such ascellular networks, broadband networks, fixed line and Internet networks.As technology has evolved so has the needs of its senders. Senders, suchas cellular telephone senders, demand more out of their messagingservice. They require the ability to send and received such items asbusiness cards, post cards and pictures.

[0005] Accordingly, MMS was developed to provide enhanced messaging,based on the senders' new demands. In the 3G cellular (3^(rd) generationof cellular communication specifications) architecture, MMS has beenadded. As stated above, this allows senders of cellular telephones tosend and receive messages exploiting a whole array of media types whilealso making it possible to support new content types as they becomepopular. MMS is well known in the art and has been standardized in thetelecommunication world (see standard 23.140, of release 2000 of the3GPP-3G Partnership Project as it appears in European TelecommunicationsStandards Institute (incorporated herein by reference). For currentstandards see ETSI at 650, route des Lucioles, 06921 Sophia Antipolis,France, Telephone No. +33 4 92 94 42 00, Fax +33 4 93 65 47 16,secretariat@etsi.fr).

[0006] Mobile Originated Short Messaging Service (“MO-SMS”) is amessaging service that allows a cellular telephone sender (the “sender”)to send text messages to another cellular telephone sender (the“receiver”). When the sender sends a message to the receiver, thereceiver's cellular telephone indicates that a message has arrived byusing the ringing tone set by the receiver. Said differently, thereceiver chooses to set the ringer on his cellular telephone to aparticular ringing tone which in turn is played every time any messageis received regardless of who sent the message.

[0007] Today, most mobile telephone senders can select a ring tone fromseveral ring tones that come with their cellular telephones, i.e. ringtones that are predefined by the mobile telephones' manufactures. Ringtones can also be downloaded from various sources, such as the Internet,into many mobile telephones. Additionally, both some mobile telephonesallow senders to edit their own ringing tone by specifying the musicalnotes or tones to be played.

[0008] The SMS standard as it exists today transfers the message to thereceiver's cellular telephone, but it does not enable automatic instantplay of the messages (i.e. each message is not played immediately uponreceipt by the mobile telephone). This means that the sender may send apersonal tone as part of an SMS message (e.g. the letters chosen by thesender represent musical tones, for example the letter C represents themusical tone “Do”, D represents “Re” and E represent “Me” . . . . Thehandset converts the letters to musical notes and plays thecorresponding musical notes.), but the personal tone will not cause thereceiver's cellular telephone to ring automatically using the sender'spersonal ringing tone. Rather, the receiver is only able to hear thesender's personal tone after the message is played. In other words, thesender's personal ringing tone is not the ringing tone that is played bythe receiver's cellular telephone to indicate the arrival of the sendersmessage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention solves the problems and shortcomingsattendant with known messaging services by providing a messagingapplication that gives a sender the ability to send a personalizedringing tone that will cause a receiver's cellular telephone to ringusing the sender's personalized ringing tone upon arrival of thesender's message. Further, the invention provides a messagingapplication that allows a mobile telephone to play a sender'spersonalized ringing tone upon the arrival of the sender's message. Saiddifferently, the sent message contains two parts. The first part is thesender's personalized ringing tone while the second part is that actualtext that the sender wants the receiver to read.

[0010] The present invention further solves the above-described problemsand limitations by enabling sender to choose the ringing tone that willring when his message arrives at the receiver's cellular telephone. Thisallows the receiver to know instantly whom the message is from simply byhearing the ringing tone of his cellular telephone.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a senderenters a messaging service using the sender's cellular telephone. Thesender then chooses to use an already created ringing tone from an MMSserver or to edit his own ringing tone by using a ringing tone editingserver. Then, the sender creates his message using either a regular SMSmessage server or an MMS message server. The message is then sent to areceiver and the sender's chosen ringing tone serves as an automaticplay-SMS message and the content of the message the sender has createdis sent as a regular SMS or as a multimedia message. The receiver willautomatically hear the sender's indicating ringing tone, and can choosewhether to read the received message.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, the sender uses apersonal computer or a fixed telephone to gain access to the messagingservers.

[0013] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the senderchooses or downloads a ringing tone from an Internet source.

[0014] Further objects, features and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from a consideration of the following description andthe appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The above aspects of the present invention will become moreapparent by describing in detail embodiments thereof with reference tothe attached drawings, in which:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the interrelationshipsbetween the components of the personalized indicating ringing tonesystem of the present invention; and

[0017] FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) show a flow chart of the process of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The presentinvention is not restricted to the following embodiments, and manyvariations are possible within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. The embodiments are provided in order to more completelyexplain the present invention to one skilled in the art.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, a sender 10 using, for example, the sender'smobile handset 20 accesses the messaging system 35 of the presentinvention. In this embodiment, the sender 10 uses a mobile handset 20but this should not be construed as a limitation. The sender 10 may, forexample, also gain access to the messaging system 35 using otherterminals such as a personal computer or a fixed telephone.

[0020] Once the sender 10 gains access to the messaging system 35 of thepresent invention, the sender 10 can choose to use an already createdringing tone that is stored within the MMS multimedia messaging server50 or choose to edit his own using the ringing tone editing server 30.As previously stated, the sender 10 can also import a ringing tone froma source exterior to the messaging system 35 such as from an Internetsite. Within such Internet sites, there typically exists a tick box thatasks the sender 10 whether the sender 10 would like the ringing tonesent as an SMS to the message indicating system. The sender 10 simplyenters a known virtual telephone number for the server 40 and theInternet site sends the selected ringing tone to the server 40. Theserver 40 then forwards the selected ringing tone to the sender'shandset. Once the ringing tone is sent to the sender's handset, thesender 10 is free to use the selected ringing tone.

[0021] The ringing tone editing server 30 allows a sender 10 to edit hischosen ringing tone note-by-note. However, the ringing tone editingserver 30 is not limited to note-by-note editing. The ringing toneediting server 30 uses, for example, automatic voice assistance to guidethe sender through the editing procedure.

[0022] The ringing tone editing server 30 is based on the seven basicnotes in music. These notes are given names of alphabet letters from Ato G which correspond to different pitches. Also there are additionalnotes in between the letters called sharps and flats. These notes arerepresented by putting a sign behind the alphabetic letter. For examplea B-sharp is symbolized as “B#”. The ringing tone editing server 30enables a sender 10 to add to a letter one of two possible signs: # forsharp notes and ^ for flat notes. Accordingly, writing music using theringing tone editing server 30 is similar to writing text in that asender 10 simply writes the letters (and signs if needed) whichcorrespond to the pitch of the notes that the sender 10 would like to beplayed.

[0023] Once the sender 10 has chosen his personalized ringing tone, thesender 10 can then create his message. The sender 10 can create either aregular SMS message using the SMS server 40 or the sender 10 can createa multimedia message using the MMS multimedia messaging server 50. Thesender 10 is not limited to creating his message using either the SMSserver 40 or the MMS multimedia messaging server 50. For example, thesender 10 may also create his message using any type of applicationexterior to the messaging system 35 and import it into the messagingsystem 35 to be sent with the ringing tone. For example, the sender 10can create a message using PC and an Internet application, as providedby many wireless service providers.

[0024] When the message is created and the ringing tone is chosen, themessage is then sent to the recipient handset 60. The present inventionthen has the chosen ringing tone played automatically at the recipient'shandset 60 when the message arrives at the recipient's handset 60. In aconventional cellular telephone, there is a special signaling channelbetween the telecom switch 70 and the handset (see OTA, “Over the Air”described in detail in GSM standard 11.14 of the 3GPP-3G PartnershipProject at the European Telecommunication Standards Institute 650, routedes Lucioles, 06921 Sophia Antipolis, France, Telephone No. +33 4 92 9442 00, Fax +33 4 93 65 47 16, secretariat@etsi.fr (incorporated hereinby reference)).

[0025] The command to activate the ring indicating the arrival of thesender's message, comes from the switch 70 to the handset by using thesignaling channel. The receiver's ringing tone is stored in thetelephone's memory, and when the telephone receives the command toactivate the stored ringing tone, the receiver's telephone rings withthe activated ring tone. However, in the present invention, the ringingtone editing server 30 asks the switch 70 to send an OTA (Over the Air)command. The OTA command instructs the recipient's handset 60 to playthe ringing tone that has been sent with the message.

[0026] Although in the preferred embodiment the recipient handset 60 isa cellular telephone, other terminals may be used. For example, therecipient handset 60 may be any type of message receiving apparatus thatposses a SIM card such as GSM “powered” PDAs and cellular communicationports.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), the process of a preferredembodiment of the present invention is discussed although this processshould not be considered as limiting the present invention. A sender 10enters the messaging system 35 of the present invention wishing to senda message with a personalized indicator at operation 1010. Upon enteringthe messaging system 35 of the present invention, the sender 10 is giventhe option of choosing an already created ringing tone or editing a newringing tone at operation 1020. If the sender 10 chooses to use analready created ringing tone, then the sender 10 chooses a ringing tonefrom the ringing tones stored within the MMS multimedia messaging serverat operation 1040. However, if the sender 10 chooses to create a newringing tone, then the sender 10 creates the new ringing tone using theediting server at operation 1030.

[0028] After deciding on a personalized ringing tone, the sender 10 thencreates his message at operation 1050. The sender 10 can create hismessage as an SMS message using either an SMS server 40 or the sender 10can create a multimedia message using a MMS multimedia messaging server50. The message is then sent to the recipient handset at operation 1060.

[0029] The message is subsequently received by the recipient handset 60.Upon arrival of the sender's message, the sender's personalized ringingtone is automatically played on the recipient's handset. This mayindicate to the recipient that a message from the particular sender 10has arrived at operation 1070. Regardless of the settings of therecipient's handset, the recipient's handset will play the personalizedringing tone of the sender (sender) 10. As stated above, the message hasa command code within it that takes control of the recipient's handset60 when the message arrives and plays the ringing tone. The command codewithin the message instructs the recipient's handset 60 not to ring theusual tone that notifies the message has arrived. Specifically, when amessage arrives at the recipient's handset, the message and ringing toneare saved on a SIM card in the recipient's telephone. Modern GSMtelephones from at least the Second Generation have advanced SIM cards.These SIM cards include an application enabling software which is calledSIM toolkit application. This software and the SIM card is defined bythe GSM association in GSM standard 11.14, which is incorporated hereinby reference. The present invention may be practiced using this standardalthough it is not limited thereto. The command code, written accordingto standard 11.14, sent with the message and ringing tone instructs theproactive SIM toolkit application (within the recipient's telephone) torequest control from the CPU of the receipt's telephone. In this way,the incoming message takes control over the recipient telephone'smessage indicators, ring tones, display . . . etc. Therefore, the sentringing tone can be played instead of the recipient's usual ringing toneto indicate the arrival of the sender's 10 message.

[0030] Part of the message is the ringing tone. The rest of the messagewill be played only if the recipient chooses to play the message. Thus,only the ringing tone will be played automatically. Once the recipientreceives the message, the recipient can play the sender's message atoperation 1080.

[0031] The recipient may not know who the message is from the first timethe sender's ringing tone is played. After the recipient learns whatringing tone the sender 10 has chosen, he will be able to easilyrecognize who the message is from simply by the ringing tone. Forexample, if Mary sends a ringing tone that plays “Mary Had a LittleLamb”, the recipient may not know who the message is from the first timethe recipient's handset 60 played “Mary Had a Little Lamb” (unless, forexample, Mary told the recipient what her ringing tone was prior tosending the message). However, the next time the recipient's handset 60played “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, the recipient would know that a messagehad arrived from Mary.

[0032] Although the above described a preferred embodiment, otherembodiments are also available. For example, in another embodiment ofthe present invention, the sender 10 chooses a ringing tone from asource exterior to the messaging system 35. The sender 10 may also edita ringing tone using an editing application that is also exterior to themessaging system 35. Along those same lines, a sender 10 may alsoacquire/download a ringing tone from the MMS multimedia messaging server50 and use an editing application that is exterior to the messagingsystem 35. Another example may be adapting the present application toautomatically use the indicating ringing tone on the recipient'spersonal computer or fixed telephone.

[0033] Additionally, the present invention can be adapted to eliminatethe need for the ringing tone editing server 30 and/or one of the MMS orSMS servers. For example, the present invention can be adapted to useonly the SMS server and allow the sender to choose a ringing tone fromone of many stored in the SMS server.

What is claimed is:
 1. A message indicating system comprising: a serveroperable to create a message and operable to store a plurality ofdifferent message indicating ringing tones, wherein a message indicatingringing tone selected by a sender is played automatically by a receivingunit when a message created by the server arrives at the receiving unit.2. The message indicating system of claim 1, wherein the sender accessesthe message indicating system using a cellular telephone.
 3. The messageindicating system of claim 1, wherein the sender accesses the messageindicating system using a personal computer.
 4. The message indicatingsystem of claim 1, wherein the sender accesses the message indicatingsystem using a fixed telephone line device.
 5. The message indicatingsystem of claim 1, wherein the server is an MMS multimedia messagingserver; and wherein the message created by the sender using the MMSmultimedia server is a multimedia message.
 6. The message indicatingsystem of claim 5, wherein the sender accesses the message indicatingsystem using a cellular telephone.
 7. The message indicating system ofclaim 5, wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system usinga personal computer.
 8. The message indicating system of claim 5,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using a fixedtelephone line device.
 9. The message indicating system of claim 1,wherein the server is an SMS messaging server; and wherein the messagecreated by the sender using the SMS messaging server is a SMS message.10. The message indicating system of claim 9, wherein the senderaccesses the message indicating system using a cellular telephone. 11.The message indicating system of claim 9, wherein the sender accessesthe message indicating system using a personal computer.
 12. The messageindicating system of claim 9, wherein the sender accesses the messageindicating system using a fixed telephone line device.
 13. The messageindicating system of claim 1, wherein the server is operable to createand edit message indicating ringing tones.
 14. The message indicatingsystem of claim 13, wherein the sender accesses the message indicatingsystem using a cellular telephone.
 15. The message indicating system ofclaim 13, wherein the sender accesses the message indicating systemusing a personal computer.
 16. The message indicating system of claim13, wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using afixed telephone line device.
 17. The message indicating system of claim13, wherein the sender creates the message indicating ringing tone usinga source exterior to the message indicating system.
 18. The messageindicating system of claim 13, wherein the message indicating ringingtone created by the sender is downloaded via an Internet connection tothe server
 19. A message indicating system comprising: a messagingserver operable to create a message; a storage server operable to storea plurality of different message indicating ringing tones, and wherein amessage indicating ringing tone selected from the storage server by asender is played automatically by a receiving unit when a messagecreated by the sender using the messaging server arrives at thereceiving unit.
 20. The message indicating system of claim 19, whereinthe messaging server is an MMS multimedia messaging server; and whereinthe message created by the sender using the MMS multimedia messagingserver is a multimedia message.
 21. The message indicating system ofclaim 19, wherein the messaging server is an SMS messaging server; andwherein the message created by the sender using the SMS messaging serveris an SMS message.
 22. The message indicating system of claim 19,wherein the storage server is operable to create and edit messageindicating ringing tones.
 23. The message indicating system of claim 20,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using acellular telephone.
 24. The message indicating system of claim 20,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using apersonal computer.
 25. The message indicating system of claim 20,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using a fixedtelephone line device.
 26. The message indicating system of claim 21,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using acellular telephone.
 27. The message indicating system of claim 21,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using apersonal computer.
 28. The message indicating system of claim 21,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using a fixedtelephone line device.
 29. The message indicating system of claim 22,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using acellular telephone.
 30. The message indicating system of claim 22,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using apersonal computer.
 31. The message indicating system of claim 22,wherein the sender accesses the message indicating system using a fixedtelephone line device.
 32. A method of indicating arrival of a messagecomprising: providing a message indicating ringing tone by a sender; andringing receiving unit with the message indicating ringing tone providedby the sender.
 33. The method of indicating arrival of a message ofclaim 32, further comprising: creating a message; sending the messageand the message indicating ringing tone to the receiving unit; and usingthe message indicating ringing tone provided by the sender instead of aringing toe stored in the receiving unit.
 34. The method of indicatingarrival of a message of claim 33, wherein the message created is an SMSmessage.
 35. The method of indicating arrival of a message of claim 33,wherein the message created is a multimedia message.
 36. The method ofindicating arrival of a message of claim 33, wherein the messageindicating tone is chosen from a plurality of different messageindicating tones.
 37. The method of indicating arrival of a message ofclaim 33, wherein the message indicating tone is created by the sender.38. The method of indicating arrival of a message of claim 33, whereinthe message indicating tone is created using the sender unit's keypad.39. The method of indicating arrival of a message of claim 33, whereinthe message indicating tone is created using an Internet site.
 40. Amessage indicating system comprising: a server operable to create amessage containing a sender-selected ring tone, wherein thesender-selected ring tone is played automatically by a receiving unitwhen the message created by the server arrives at the receiving unit.41. The message indicating system of claim 40, wherein said server isoperable to create ring tones.
 42. The message indicating system ofclaim 40, wherein said server allows a sender chose among a plurality ofstored ring tones.
 43. The messaging indicating system of claim 41,wherein said server allows a sender to create ring tone on a note bynote basis.
 44. A method of creating a message including a ringing tonecomprising: accessing a server operable to create messages; creating amessage by a sender; selecting a ringing tone by the sender from saidserver; and combining said ringing tone with said message by saidserver, wherein said ringing tone becomes a header of said message. 45.The method of claim 44, wherein said ringing tone comprises a string ofalphabetic letters, wherein each alphabetic letter represent a specificmusical tone.
 46. The method of claim 45, wherein the message is a voicemessage of the sender recorded by the server.
 47. The method of claim44, wherein the server is an MMS multimedia server.
 48. A method ofcreating a message including a ringing tone comprising: accessing aserver operable to create messages; creating a message by a sender;creating a ringing tone by the sender using said server; and combiningsaid ringing tone with said message by said server, wherein said ringingtone becomes a header of said message.
 49. The method of claim 48,wherein said ringing tone comprises a string of alphabetic letters,wherein each alphabetic letter represent a specific musical tone. 50.The method of claim 49, wherein the sender creates the ringing tone byselecting a series of alphabetic letters.
 51. The method of claim 50,wherein the sender accesses the server using a cellular telephone andselects the series of alphabetic letters using a keypad of the cellulartelephone.
 52. The method of claim 48, wherein the sender accesses theserver using a cellular telephone.
 53. A method of receiving amessage-indicating ringing tone message by a receiving unit comprising:receiving an over-the-air command from a telecom switch; receiving amessage which includes a message-indicating ringing tone; and using themessage-indicating ringing tone instead of a ringing tone stored in thereceiving unit to indicate arrival of the message; wherein saidover-the-air command causes the receiving unit to use themessage-indicating ringing tone.
 54. The method of claim 53, wherein thereceiving unit is a cellular telephone.
 55. The method of claim 53,wherein the receiving unit includes a SIM card that supports SIMtoolkit.
 56. The method of claim 53, wherein said message-indicatingringing tone comprises a string of alphabetic letters, wherein eachalphabetic letter represent a specific musical tone.
 57. A messageindicating system comprising: an MMS multimedia messaging serveroperable to create MMS messages; an SMS server operable to create SMSmessages; a telecom switch operable to send over-the-air commands tocellular telephones; and a ringing tone editing server operable tocreate new ringing tones and store a plurality of ringing tones, whereinthe ringing tone editing server is interconnected to said MMS multimediamessaging server and said SMS server, wherein messages created by saidMMS multimedia messaging server or said SMS server are combined with aringing tone selected or created by a sender into a message-indicatingmessage and sent to a receiver's cellular telephone, wherein saidtelecom switch sends an over-the-air command to the receiver's cellulartelephone, said over-the-air command causes the receiver's cellulartelephone to play the ringing tone of the message-indicating messageinstead of a different ringing tone stored in the receiver's cellulartelephone.
 58. A method of creating a message including a ringing tonecomprising: accessing a server operable to create messages; creating aringing tone by a sender using said server; creating a message by thesender; and combining said ringing tone with said message by saidserver, wherein said ringing tone becomes a header of said message. 59.The method of claim 58, wherein said ringing tone comprises a string ofalphabetic letters, wherein each alphabetic letter represent a specificmusical tone.
 60. The method of claim 59, wherein the sender creates theringing tone by selecting a series of alphabetic letters.
 61. The methodof claim 60, wherein the sender accesses the server using a cellulartelephone and selects the series of alphabetic letters using a keypad ofthe cellular telephone.
 62. The method of claim 48, wherein the senderaccesses the server using a cellular telephone.
 63. A method of creatinga message including a ringing tone comprising: accessing a serveroperable to create messages; selecting a ringing tone by a sender fromsaid server; creating a message by the sender; and combining saidringing tone with said message by said server, wherein said ringing tonebecomes a header of said message.
 64. The method of claim 63, whereinsaid ringing tone comprises a string of alphabetic letters, wherein eachalphabetic letter represent a specific musical tone.
 65. The method ofclaim 64, wherein the message is a voice message of the sender recordedby the server.
 66. The method of claim 63, wherein the server is an MMSmultimedia server.